[ An Hour and a Half Later ]
William reclined in his seat, holding a large tablet as he searched the internet. His browsing primarily consisted of videos of women twerking, but occasionally, he encountered content that was not only peculiar but also unsettling.
He had come across several online news reports where reporters and stations were denouncing him. However, instead of feeling disheartened, he sensed something suspicious. Most of the individuals criticizing him weren't major figures or widely recognized personalities—only a few were genuinely influential, while the majority were minor players, striving to ascend the social ladder.
William suspected this was yet another assault orchestrated by that enigmatic figure—the Freiggart Great House, a once-powerful family now on the brink of collapse. Due to the disgraceful stunt their previous house master had pulled, numerous issues surrounding them had resurfaced on the internet.
Rumors abounded: some claimed that the Freiggarts possessed a demonic bloodline, others asserted they were originally nobodies, mere farmers and the like, and some even suggested that their wealth was nearly depleted. William wasn't certain if all these rumors held any truth, but he was sure of one thing—the rumor about their financial troubles was accurate.
When the Freiggart Great House began its decline, they resorted to desperate measures to reclaim their former status, but these efforts drained their coffers. So, while they remained more powerful than an ordinary family, they were no longer as formidable as before, and people were eagerly looking for ways to exploit that weakness.
William knew it wouldn't be long before this Great House would be engulfed in humiliation and suffering.
But that wasn't the only disturbing thing he discovered online. There were even more troubling matters, like the new cult—or rather, the religion. It had garnered so much support that authorities had no choice but to acknowledge it as a legitimate religion.
It was the religion of the God of Peace, Vagner. What made this group particularly problematic was their fanatical nature—they were assassinating members of wealthy families and stealing their fortunes.
Their reason?
Because, according to them, the wealthy didn't deserve their riches. That was the sole absurd rationale these religious zealots provided. What made this even more terrifying was that this religious group was particularly active in the Wiseburn Kingdom, where William was currently residing.
William sighed as he read the news about another affluent family that had been massacred the previous night. Not even their small children were spared. The authorities couldn't identify the killers but had to attribute the act to followers of the religion of Vagner because the style of killing was consistent, and the family's vault was also emptied.
"What do these people think they're doing?" William muttered to himself. "Do they even have a actual objective in killing all these people, or is it just an excuse to steal their money? At least come up with a more substantial reason—like saying the rich are corrupt and they're corrupting the world or something along those lines."
William paused when he heard heavy footsteps approaching and turned around. It was Delmar, slowly making his way over, clutching his head as if he were suffering from a severe headache.
Delmar collapsed into the seat opposite William with a small groan. He sighed, feeling slightly better after sitting down, but then clutched his head again in pain, speaking in a voice tinged with regret.
"Never... again."
Delmar raised an eyebrow. "The cult that kills rich bastards?"
William looked at him. "You know about them?"
Nodding, Delmar replied, "Yeah, they target wealthy people with illegal connections, kill them, then take their money to fund various good causes."
"Good causes?"
"Stuff like helping the needy, buying food for the poor, and similar things."
"That's all well and good, but still..." William turned his attention back to his tablet. "Why did they have to kill the guy who owned the Clucky Chicken restaurants? Now I won't be able to eat there anymore; it might get sold off because of this."
"Look at it another way," Delmar suggested. "You could buy the Clucky Chicken restaurants at a low price now."
William looked at him and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that is indeed a good idea. I could get my chicken without any limits on how much I can order."
Delmar suddenly turned serious. "Boss, I think you need to hear this."
William nodded, noting Delmar's overly serious demeanor. Delmar leaned in closer and said quietly, "While I understand what you mean about those religious fu*ks, don't say too much about them in public or even in private."
William looked puzzled, so Delmar continued, "Even though they claim the religion is in decline, the truth is it's spreading like wildfire, and we don't really know how many people are part of it. What's worse, a few of our workers and closely related associates might be in that group too."
William's eyes widened as he cast a brief glance at the guards and the bar manager, who seemed to be watching him intently, which made him feel uneasy. He nodded at Delmar, and they both separated as Delmar added, "Not that they're going to kill you or anything—you do a lot of good for the common folk."
William nodded after some thought as Delmar asked, "So, how did the meeting with Saintsgate go?"
"It went well... it was actually about an expedition project he wanted me and a few others to fund."
Delmar nodded. "So, an expedition project by a Great House that works in the auction house. I can only imagine how much funding that project will require from you guys."
"Well... not really."